For years, people have used Facebook beyond the standard social engagement it exhibits. This platform has become an all-inclusive source for media, news, communication, and now e-commerce. With the recent creation of Facebook Shops, Zuckerberg has honed in on the effects of COVID-19 on small businesses and created a platform for companies to create a digital showroom to display their products. For those businesses that have yet to create an internet shop, this is the ideal opportunity to explore the effectiveness of an online presence and Raleigh digital marketing in these unprecedented times.

What Is Facebook Shops?

As the world continues to feel the effects of the coronavirus, small and medium-sized businesses have continued to experience its large-scale challenges. According to a recent study conducted by Facebook and the Small Business Roundtable, the pandemic has been disastrous for small businesses, with a third of them reporting that they have stopped operating. An additional 11% say they could fail within the next three months if the current situation continues. Although this may sound disheartening, there is hope for small businesses to recover with the recent boost of e-commerce sales during the pandemic. Adobe’s new Digital Economy Index has found that e-commerce grew by 49% during the pandemic in comparison to retail sales, which were down 8.7% in March. Hitting record-breaking numbers similar to Black Friday, digital platforms offer an outlet for small and medium-sized businesses to get infront of their consumers during stay at home orders. As stated by Mark Zuckerberg, “This all adds up to something quite powerful. If you're running a small business or you're thinking of starting one – even from your living room – you now have a whole suite of tools available that can help you serve people. You can build out your online presence across Facebook and Instagram. You can use Messenger and WhatsApp to communicate with your customers. You can reach new customers through our ads. And now, you can also set up a full online store experience with Facebook Shops. All of these tools are open for business, even when your physical storefront can't be. Hopefully this helps relieve some of the pressure that small businesses are facing right now and helps them prepare for a more online future.”

Leveraging the capabilities of technology and e-commerce through Facebook Shops creates an alternative arena for Raleigh digital marketing  and small businesses during these unexpected times.

Where Do I Start?

Throughout the pandemic, the importance of an online presence is crucial and taking advantage of Facebook Shops is an opportunity for small businesses who have not yet started selling their products online. Creating a Facebook Shop is free, and you do not need to have any pre-existing online store. Businesses can choose the products they want to feature from their catalog and then customize the look and feel of their shop with a cover image and accent colors that showcase their brand. With a Facebook Shop, you can add an unlimited number of products, communicate with your customers directly, see data reports on your sales, and more. Products can also start appearing in Facebook Marketplace if eligible, extending your shop’s access to a larger base of potential consumers. To begin using Facebook Shops, follow these steps:

1. Go to your Facebook Page and configure the Shop section - Click the Shop tab on your Facebook page. If there is no tab, you must change your template to ‘Shopping.’
2. Set up your shop details - This is where you will be redirected to the Commerce Manager to set up your shop criteria. Here you will enter business information such as an ecommerce business name, link to an existing Facebook page, etc.
3. Configure your payouts - This allows users to get paid for their sales on the platform. To set it up, you’ll need tax details and bank account information.
4. Add products to your Facebook store - Once your shop is set up, create a catalog of your products in the Catalog Manager.
5. Manage your orders - After adding in your products, Commerce Manager is available to manage sales and data across Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook Shops is now available for select businesses that use Page Shops on Facebook. The platform is set to expand Facebook Shops to businesses around the world in the upcoming months, along with the launch of Instagram Shop this summer. For any size business, this leaves a valuable opportunity to expand your business’ reach within these social platforms. This innovation was created with goals in mind to make shopping seamless and empower the small business owner to reach customers online as well as the global brands to connect directly with consumers. Taking advantage of this platform and the expansion Facebook has created can only accentuate a business’ online presence, especially during these trying times. To learn more information and get started on Facebook Shops contact Red Shark Digital, Raleigh’s top digital marketing agency.